Adjustable coat hanger



May 7, 1957 F. E. GROSS ADJUSTABLE! COAT HANGER Filed March 21, 1955 INVEINTOR. FRANK E. GROSS ATTORNEY United States Patent (9 ADJUSTABLE COAT HANGER Frank E. Gross, Sausalito, Calif.

Application March 21, 1955, Serial No. 495,391

2 Claims. (Cl. 223-94) The invention, in general, relates to means for hanging garments and more particularly relates to an improved hanger which is readily adjustable to accommodate various shoulder width coats, jackets, dresses and the like and featuring means encompassing the shoulders of the garments for holding the form thereof at the shoulders and upper arm.

Garment hangers heretofore marketed have largely been constructed of a single slightly curved bar to which a hook is attached at its midpoint for suspending the hanger from a rod, the garment being draped over the curved bar and sometimes buttoned to retain the garment in vertical position on the bar. These prior hangers of the above mentioned construction, as well as of different construction, are disadvantageous in use primarily because the opposed ends of the bar from which the garment is suspended project into the armpit of the garment and distort the garment at the upper arms and at the shoulder extremities. Garments retained on such prior hangers for two or three days become so deformed by the hanger bar that they require pressing before they can be donned. Moreover, the majority of prior garment hangers are not adjustable for use with different sizes of garments and are inherently disadvantageous in that respect. The. present invention is directed to the provision of an improved garment hanger which obviates, the disadvantages of prior constructions and constitutes. a custom form hanger permitting immediate wear of the garments when taken down from my improved hanger.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved adjustable coat hanger which includes a form-preserving and protective shield for garments hung thereon.

Another important object of my invention is to provide an improved adjustable hanger of the indicated nature which is additionally characterized by its. multiple features of retaining complete garments, such as a coat, vest and trousers without likelihood of wrinkling or deformation thereof as well as elamping the suspended garments in optimum suspended condition to avoid dislodgrnent from the hanger.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide an improved hanger of the aforementioned character which is readily and easily adjustable to various widths to accommodate various sizes of garments.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageous features thereof, will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the. precise embodiment shown, nor to the precise arrangement of the various parts thereof, as my invention, as defined in the appended claims, can be embodied in a plurality and variety of forms.

In it preferred form, the adjustable coat hanger of my present invention preferably comprises a pair of complementary garment supporting shells each having a. substantially flat top merging into an inclined portion at its inner end and into a widened depending portion at its outer end, means for adjusting said pair of shells relative to one another to reduce and to increase the width of the hanger for variable shoulder width garments, together with means for receiving and suspending additional garments beneath said pair of shells, and clamping means for restraining said additional garments against displacement on the hanger.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the elements of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of another of the elements of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the clamping links employed for securing garments in position on the hanger.

As shown particularly in Fig. l of the annexed drawings, I provide a pair of shells 11 and 12 of similar size and shape which preferably are arranged to complement one another to provide together a garment retaining member.. The shells 11 and 12 can be fabricated of wood, metal or a plastic material, as desired, although I preferably mold these shells from Fiberglas for convenience and simplicity of manufacture. Shells 11 and 12 can be molded to any desired dimensions and, as a pair, in different dimensions; it being understood that in whatever dimensions the shells 11 and 12 are formed shell 11 is preferably made to the same size andv shape as shell 12. In the embodiment of shells presently contemplated for marketing, each of the shells 11 and 12 is approximately 8 inches in length; convexo-concavo in form with the convex superficial surface on the outside or top and .the concave surface on the underside or bottom; and tapered from the outer end with a dimension of about 3 /2 inches across the top and 4% inches to 5 inches across the bottom at the outer end, to approximately 2% inches across the top at the inner end. Since the shells 11 and 12 are of the same dimensions and shape, the inner ends of the shells are designated by the reference numeral 13 and the outer ends are designated by the reference numeral 14. Longitudinally of the top of each shell is a central, substantially flat section 16 which merges into an inclined section 17 at the inner end 13. Shells 11 and 12 have a depending section 18 at their outer ends 14 so that garments, such as coats or jackets disposed thereon will rest in conformity to their natural position on the body with the neck-line of the garment seated on the inclined section 1'7; the shoulder of the garment on the flat section 16; and the outer end of the shoulder and armpit of the garment resting or draped over the depending section 18 at the outer ends 14 of the shells. By this construction, the garment can be hung without likelihood of becoming deformed by any portion of the hanger.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide means for shifting shells 11 and 12 relative to one another and for locking the shells in any selected one of a plurality of adjusted positions so that the width of the hanger can be made to accommodate different shoulder widths of garments disposed on the shells 11 and 12. To this end, I provide a pair of resilient strips 21 and 22 each having a detent 23 thereon, together with a flat bar 24 having a series of notches or openings 26 therein which are arranged at spaced intervals longitudinally of the bar as well as a central opening 27 through which a hook 28 may be passed for suspending the bar 24 and the entire hanger from a rod or other support, not shown; the hook 28 terminating at its inner end in a head 29 disposed against the under side of the bar 24. The pair of resilient nexed drawings, and conveniently arefabricated of spring metal such as flat spring steel. Each strip is preferably riveted within each shell 11 and 12 adjacent to the inner ends 13 thereof as well as adjacent to the juncture of the depending section 18 and the flat section 17, as shown, and to insure against breaking or cracking of the shells at the points of rivet with the strips 21 and 22, I preferably reinforce the shells at such points by built-up molded sections of Fiberglas, all as indicated inFig. l of the annexed drawings. The detent 23 of each strip 21 and 22 snugly seats into any selected notch or opening 26 in flat bar 24.

By virtue of the aforementioned means, the shells 11 and 12 may be moved toward and away from each other and thereby the hanger may be adjusted for the varying shoulder widths of garments hung on the hanger. For a relatively narrow shoulder width garment, the detents 23 of flexible strips 21 and 22 will be disposed in the openings 26 of flat bar 24 which are immediately adjacent to the central opening 27 thereof. For hanging a wider shoulder-width garment, it is only necessary to press the thumbs or fingers against the undersides of the flexible strips 21 and 22 to raise detents 23 from the opening in flat bar 24 and move the shells 11 and 12 apart. Upon reaching a pair of openings 26 in flat bar 24 which are at a greater distance from the central opening 27 thereof, the pressure on strips 21 and 22 can be relieved causing detents 23 thereof to drop into the selected openings 26 of the flat bar. Then hanger can thus be increased or decreased in over-all width at the will of a user to accommodate various shoulder widths of garments.

Cooperating with the flexible strips 21 and 22, as well as with flat bar 24 are two pairs of clamps which are designated by the reference numerals 31 and 32, see Fig. 1 of the drawings. The pair of clamps designated by reference numerals 31 are riveted or welded or otherwise secured to the flexible strips 21 and 22 adjacent their outer ends while the clamps 32 are free floating clamps movable to any desired positions. The clamps 31 and 32 serve to rigidly hold the shells 11 and 12, through the medium of strips 21 and 22, in set relation to the flat bar 24 thereby assuring no tilting of the shells 11 and 12 and resultant dislodgment of a garment hung thereon. Free floating clamps 32 may be moved longitudinally inwardly and outwardly along the strips 21 and 22, and the flat bar 24, to insure that detents 23 do not slip out of any selected openings 26 of the flat bar 24 in which they are disposed after each adjustment of the shells 11 and 12 to accommodate varying shoulder widths in garments disposed thereon.

In accordance with the present invention, I weld or otherwise secure to the bottom of the flat bar 24 a rod 36 upon or from which trousers and the like may be hung or suspended; rod 36 preferably being fabricated of a suitable steel wire of circular cross-section having its extremities 37 and 38 turned at right angles to its main straight section 39 for convenient welding to the fiat bar 24 as well as providing a space between the rod and the bar for placement and removal of a garment on and from the rod 36. As an additional feature for hanging additional garments, I provide on rod 36 a pair of spring clips 41 and 42 for suspending a skirt or the like from the rod. Each of the clips 41 and 42 is formed with suitably apertured ears 43 thereon through which the straight section 39 passes thus permitting the clips to be moved freely along the rod; each clip including a pair of jaws 46 and 47 which are pivotally connected together and which normally are in closed position under the influence of a spring, not shown. The jaws 46 and 47 of clips 41 and 42 are opened against the influence of the spring, and the waist-band of a skirt or the like may be slipped between the open jaws, which are then released to clamp the skirt thereby suspending the skirt from the hanger.

It will be clear that the shells 11 and 12 atford garment form-retaining elements in that the opposite armpits of a coat or jacket snugly fit over the outer ends 14 of the shells with the upper arm portions of the garment draped over the depending sections 18 at such outer ends 14 of the shells. Moreover, the neck-line of the hung garment snugly lies upon the inclined sections 17 of the shells at their inner ends 13 with the shoulder portions of the hung garment disposed upon the substantially flat sections 17 of the shells. Thus the shells 11 and 12 are obviously custom constructed and there is no likelihood of deformation or wrinkling of a garment hung thereon. Consequently, the garments hung upon my improved hanger can be readily removed in a neat wearable condition and can be donned and worn without requiring pressing of any kind. The adjustable feature of the shells 11 and 12 relative to one another permits conversion of the hanger readily from one accommodating narrow shoulder-width garments to a hanger for larger sizes of garments. The construction of the shells 11 and 12, moreover, affords complete protection from dust to all garments retained on the hanger by the clips 41 and 42 and by the rod 36 as the shells overlie and partially encompass such additional hung garments. The provision of clamps 31 and 32 insure rigidity of the shells 11 and 12 in whatever positions they are adjusted.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made over the prior art.

I claim:

1. An adjustable coat hanger comprising, in combination with a hook for suspending the same from a horizontally disposed rod, a flat bar secured to said hook for I suspension about its longitudinal center in a horizontal said bar, and a detent on each of said strips removably fitting any selected one of said plurality of holes of said bar whereby said shells may be moved outwardly and inwardly with respect to said hook to increase and to decrease the overall width of the hanger and thereby ac- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 892,149 Gould June 30, 1908 2,446,312' Usina Aug. 3, 1948 2,494,711 Kusher et a1 Jan. 17, 1950 2,722,351 Dyer Nov. 1, 1955 

